Rep. Yong Hye-in, Who Gave Birth to a Son, Proposes 'Bringing Children to National Assembly Meetings Act'

Entry to the National Assembly Hall with Infants Needing Breastfeeding
"Staff, National Assembly Workers, and Local Council Members' Reproductive Rights Must Also Be Guaranteed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] On the 11th, Yong Hyein, a member of the Basic Income Party who gave birth to her first child on the 8th, announced plans to promote the "National Assembly Meeting Room Accompanied by Children Act (Partial Amendment to the National Assembly Act)" which allows members of the National Assembly to attend meetings with infants under 24 months who need breastfeeding. This bill was originally proposed by former Liberty Korea Party member Shin Bora in 2018 but was automatically discarded due to the expiration of her term.

In overseas parliaments such as the European Parliament, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, children’s entry and breastfeeding are already permitted in meeting rooms. In 2017, former Australian Senator Larissa Waters made headlines by giving a speech while breastfeeding.

Yong said, "Allowing babies to enter the National Assembly will serve as an opportunity to highlight that pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare are societal issues," emphasizing, "Now is the right time for the bill to pass."

She added, "Babies naturally cry and fuss," and stated, "The emergence of lawmakers who bring their babies into the solemn National Assembly and breastfeed will demonstrate that children and parents can go anywhere together."

Furthermore, she said, "Attending meetings with children is a global trend," and expressed hope that "through the 'National Assembly Meeting Room Accompanied by Children Act,' the reproductive rights related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare of lawmakers, their aides, National Assembly workers, and local council members will be more widely guaranteed."